Friction power-transmitting mechanism.



No. 70,235. I Patented Dec. 30, 1902..

s. w. MARBLE.

FRICTION POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

(Application filed May 12, 1902.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

m: Norms mans ca, PNOTO-LITHO WASHINGTON. n. c.

No. 7|7,235. Patented Dec. 30, 1902.

G. W. MARBLE.

FRICTION POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

(Application filed May 12 1902.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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A w g nu: NORRIS PEYERS cc. PHOT0-LITHO., msuma'ros, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. MARBLE, OF BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE-AS-SIGNMENTS, TO THE MARBLE-SWIFT AUTOMOBILE COMPANY.

FRlCTlON POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .Patent No. 717,235, datedDecember 30, 1902.

Application filed May 12, 1902. Serial No. 106,882. (No model.)

To wZZ whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MARBLE, a

citizen of the United States, residing in Buchanan, in the county ofBerrien andState' of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Friction Power-Transmitting Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has been devised more es- IO pecially for use inautomobiles, and'relates to the mechanism for transmitting power from' aconstantly-operating engine to the wheels. The mechanism is capable ofstopping, starting, and backing the wheels and of varying I5 the speedto any extent desired within the maximum allowed by the motor employed.

It also embodies a simple and efficient brake by which the driven wheelsare controlled.

My object in the invention has been to devise a very compact,inexpensive, and efficient construction of transmitting-gear and alsoone which can be wholly inclosed, so as to be dust, dirt, and moistureproof.

In my invention I employ a friction-disk for each driven wheel andarrange the drivingshaft at right angles to said disks and between them.Upon the driving shaft is mounted a rocking frame consisting of cross,

heads and longitudinal members at each end of the cross-heads,thelongitudinal members each supporting a friction-roller driven by theshaft and which by the rocking of the frame is brought into contactwithone of the 5 disks.

' able on the supporting members so that they can be made to act on thedisks at different distances from the centers thereof or be moved fromone side to the other of such centers, the

.10 adjustment to different distances effecting variations in the speedand the adjustment to difierent sides effecting changes in thedirection. The stopping and starting are caused by rocking the frame soas to carry the friction-rollers out of or into contact with the disks.Ialso embody with the transmitting gear a brake mechanism acting on thedisks and inclose the same in a tight box, whereby all dust, dirt, andmoisture are excluded. 5:: These and further details of my inventionwill be fully understood from the description The two friction-rollersare adjust Fig.

may be kept in constant motion while the automobile is in use. From thisdriving-shaft myinvention transmits power to the shafts 7 7, which maybe the axles of the Wheels of the vehicle or be geared to such axles inanyknown way. Ihaveindioated traction-wheels 40 upon said axles bybroken lines in Fig. 2. On the ends of the shafts 7 7 are friction-disks8 8, with their fiat faces toward each other. The drive-shaft isarrangedbetween and at right angles to the shafts 7 and with its axis inthe same plane with the axis of the shaft 7. On the shaft are looselymounted the cross-heads 9 9 of the rocking frame, and these heads areunited by round longitudinal bars 10 10, secured in the ends of theheads, one at each side of the drive-shaft. These bars serve as shaftsto the friction rollers 11, of which there is one on each bar. Therollers turn freely on the bars and may also be slid thereon wheneverthe speed of the machine is to be varied or its'direction changed, andthey are brought into operative contact with the disks and carried outof such contact by rocking the frame 9 10 whenever the vehicle is to bestarted, stopped, or backed. The drive-shaft carries a sleeve 12 betweenthe cross-heads, which is of sufficient diameter to enable it to" bearagainst the friction-rollers, and being fast on the shaft it is adaptedto actuate the rollers in whatever position the 0 latter may beadjusted.

It will be seen from the description so far given that if the rockingframe is turned so as to carry the rollers against the disks the latterwill be rotated by power from r the drive-shaft. For the purpose ofimparting these rocking movements to the frame one of the cross-heads isprovided with a hub 13, I

may be moved toward or away from or from one side to the other of thecenters of the disks with which they are in contact to vary the speed orchange the direction. These sliding movements are imparted as follows?At is a slotted plate, the slots being indicated at 16. Upon this plateare journaled two sprocket-wheels 17 17, carrying an endless chain 18,from which project two slotted cars 19 19. These ears each receive anupstanding pin 20, secured in a slide 21. The slides traverse the slots16, already mentioned, and each of them supports a shifter 22. Thisshifter consists of two arms sitting down, one at each side of itscorresponding roller, the arms being slotted, as particularly shown atFig. 2, to enable them to straddle the rods 10 and also to permit therocking of the roller-frame, the slots being curved for this purpose.The sprocket-wheels 17 17 arecontrolled by any suitable leveras, forinstance, that shown at 23and when aotuated by the lever they cause suchmovement of the chain as will carry the slides 21 in the requireddirection and to the required distance to effect the changes in speed ordirection. To move the rollers from the periphery of the disks to thecenter or to any intermediate point requires but a quarterturn, orthereabout, of the wheels 17; but if the rollers are to be carried fromthe periphery at one side of the disks to the corresponding position atthe other side of their centers the sprocket-wheel should be given ahalfturn, or thereabout.

A brake is also combined with myimproved transmitting-gear, consistingof bands 24, one encircling each of the disks 8, and a device wherebythe bands may be tightened. This tightening device may consist of awind-up roll 25, actuated by the lever 26, the bands being secured atone end to this roll and at the other end to adjusting-bolts 27. Theperipheries of the disks are preferably provided with flanges, betweenwhich the brake-band will be confined.

All the parts thus far described, except the levers through which theparts are controlled, may be and preferably are inclosed in a box 28,having a removable cover 29, held in place by screws entering the cars31 on the inside of the body of the box. Of course this box must beprovided with openings to receive the shafts 6 and the axles 7; but itclosely encircles those parts and is adapted to exclude dust, dirt, andmoisture from the friction devices and other parts within the same, andas the parts are arranged very compactly the box may be madecorrespondingly small.

For the purpose of withstanding the end thrust upon the friction-disks,caused by the pressure of the friction-rollers upon the disks, I employa series of balls 32 and a sleeve 33, threaded into the bearing 34 ofthe shafts 7. This sleeve can be adjusted in or out, as occasionrequires, to cause the proper contact between the rollers and disks, anda jam-nut 35 encircles it and holds it against rotation.

It will be noticed from the construction described that in starting andat other times when the maximum of power is desired with a slow speedthe friction-rollers can be positioned as in Fig. 1that is, with therollers bearing against the peripheral portions of the disksand thatwhen a greater speed is desired the rollers may be shifted by moving thelever 23, so as to carry the rollers toward the centers of the disks.

The friction-gearing shown is exceedingly simple and powerful. The lever14, by which the rocking frame is controlled, will be constantly underthe control of the hand or foot of the driver, and that is necessary inorder to keep the friction devices in contact, because the rollers tendto roll out of contact with the disks, and thus relieve themselves fromthe pressure, and with this construction the rollers will automaticallymove out of action as soon as the driver releases his control. This isan important feature, as it insures a cutting off of the power wheneverthe driver through carelessness or fright or other cause releases thelever and prevents all danger of the auto running wild.

It is desirable that the rocking frame be rigid, and to insure this Iprefer to secure a wide strong brace to the cross-heads.

I claim 1. The combination with the opposite friction-disks and thedrive-shaft, of friction-rollers driven by the shaft and bearing eachagainst one of the disks,and supporting means for positioning saidrollers against the disks, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the opposite friction-disks and the drive-shaft,of friction-rollers driven by the shaft, and a frame mounted on theshaft and supporting said rollers and also carrying them into and out ofcontact with the disks, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with the opposite friction-disks and the drive-shaft,of friction-rollers driven by the shaft and bearing each against one ofthe disks, and means for shift ing said rollers so they will contactwith different portions of the disks, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with the opposite friction-disks and the drive-shaft,of friction-rollers supported from and driven by the shaft and bearingeach against one of the disks, and means for positioning the rollersagainstthe disks, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with the opposite fric tion-disks and thedrive-shaft, of friction-rollers supported from and driven by the shaftand bearing each against one of the disks, means for positioning therollers against the disks, and means for shifting the rollers,substantially as specified.

6. The combination with the opposite friction-disks and the drive-shaft,of friction-rollers driven by the shaft, a rocking frame supporting saidrollers and carrying them against the disks, and means for shifting therollers in the frame, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with the opposite friction-disks, of the drive-shaftarranged at right angles to the axes of the disks, friction-rollersdriving the disks and receiving power from the shaft, and a rockingframe carrying said rollers into and out of action, substantially asspecified.

8. The combination with the opposite friction-disks, of the driveshaftarranged at right angles to the axes of the disks, and between them,friction-rollers driving the disks and receiving power from the shaft,and a rocking frame carrying said rollers into and out of action,substantially as specified.

9. The combination with the opposite friction-disks and the drive-shaftarranged between the disks, of friction-rollers driven by the shaft andbearing one against each disk, a frame supporting and positioning saidrollers relative to the disks, and means for controlling said frame,substantially as specified.

10. The combination with the drive-shaft, of transmitting-gearconsisting of frictiondisks, and friction-rollers actuated by the shaftand movable into and out of contact with said disks and also adjustableto different positions relative to the centers of the disks,substantially as specified.

11. The combination of the drive-shaft, of transmitting-gear consistingof friction-disks, friction-rollers one for each disk, and means forcarrying said rollers into contact with the disks, said rollersreceiving powerfrom'the shaft, substantially as specified.

12. The combination with the friction-disks and their shafts, of adrive-shaft arranged at right angles to said friction-disk shafts,friction-rollers for actuating said disks, a support for said rollersmounted on the drive-shaft and adapted to maintain them in drivingcontact with the shaft and to carry them simultaneously and at will oneagainst each disk,

and an operative connection between the drive-shaft and the rollers,substantially as specified.

13. The combination with the drive-shaft and friction-disks, of arocking frame supported on the shaft, friction-rollers for actuating thedisks carried by said frame, means whereby the shaft actuates therollers, and shifting mechanism for shifting said rollers at will,substantially as specified.

14. The combination with the drive-shaft and friction-disks, of arocking frame supported on the shaft, friction-rollers for actuating thedisks carried by said frame, means whereby the shaft actuates therollers, and shifting mechanism for shifting both said rollerssimultaneously at will, substantially as specified.

15. The combination with the drive-shaft and friction-disks, of arocking frame supported on the shaft, friction-rollers for actuating thedisks carried by said frame, means whereby the shaft actuates therollers, and" frame between the disks, driven friction-rollers fordriving the disks mounted on said frame and acting on the disks atopposite sides of their centers, means whereby the shaft actuates therollers, and a lever for keeping the frame in position to cause therollers to act, the rollers acting automatically to end their contactwith the disks when said lever is released, substantially as specified.

18. In an automobile,a friction power-transmitting gear having a drivingmember and a drivenmember arranged at right angles to each other and oneof them being movabletoward and away from the other, and a manually-operated lever for maintaining contact between the parts of thegear, the parts being adapted to separate automatically when the leveris released, substantially as specified.

19. In an automobile,a friction power-transmitting gear consisting offriction-disks, friction rollers for actuating said disks, and means formoving said rollers into contact with the disks and maintaining saidcontact, said rollers and disks being adapted. to separateautomatically, substantially as specified.

20. Thecombination of the friction-disks and their shafts, and means foradjusting the latter, with the driven friction-rollers actuating saiddisks, the supporting-frame carrying said rollers, means whereby thedriveshaft actuates the rollers and the drive-shaft, substantially asspecified.

21. The combination of separate axles 7, 7 adapted to supporttraction-Wheels on their outer ends, friction-disks on the inner ends ofthe axles, and driven devices located between and creating friction onsaid disks and adjustable relative to the same, substantially as,specified.

22. The combination of separate axles 7, 7 adapted to supporttraction-wheel's on their outer ends, friction-disks on the inner endsof the axles, a power shaft between said disks, and friction-rollersdriven by the shaft and adapted to actuate the disks, substantially asspecified.

GEORGE W. MARBLE.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, L. LINDAUER.

